Their Eyes Were Watching God, written by Zora Neale Hurtson, is set in the early twentieth century, when women struggled for independence. Women had no control over what they could do and men were considered the dominant sex. This was true for both races, but this particular novel focused on African-Americans. Janie Crawford struggled finding her own identity because as a young girl she was forced to marry a man that she never truely loved. During the time period, this was common among the society.
Their Eyes Were Watching God has a very symbolic setting. The pear tree, for example, symbolized the life of a woman. Janie would sit beneath the tree connecting with nature and life. Having her whole life controlled, Janie strives to connect with herself and life. Janie feels a sense of hamony and longing for love and life when she watches the bees go from flower to flower on the pear tree. When Janie sees the horizon, she wonders if there is another place besides earth. The horizon also symbolizes something spiritual and peaceful about the world. At the end of the book a hurricane hits Florida. The hurricane symbolizes the destruction of nature, which is the opposite of the pear tree. The hurricane is important to the setting, unlike the pear tree and the horizon, which symbolized nature and spirituality; the hurricane destroyed nature and made the characters question themselves.The hurricane also symbolized the end of Tea Cake's (Janie's love) life. While saving Janie's life, he gets bit by a dog and gets contracted with rabies. Janie kills Tea Cake before he could hurt her.
The setting played an important role in this book. It showed them guidance which they carried with them and it made them realize the struggles in life. Janie found her identity and the guidance she was looking for throughout the book because of the setting.
Their Eyes Were Watching God has a very symbolic setting. The pear tree, for example, symbolized the life of a woman. Janie would sit beneath the tree connecting with nature and life. Having her whole life controlled, Janie strives to connect with herself and life. Janie feels a sense of hamony and longing for love and life when she watches the bees go from flower to flower on the pear tree. When Janie sees the horizon, she wonders if there is another place besides earth. The horizon also symbolizes something spiritual and peaceful about the world. At the end of the book a hurricane hits Florida. The hurricane symbolizes the destruction of nature, which is the opposite of the pear tree. The hurricane is important to the setting, unlike the pear tree and the horizon, which symbolized nature and spirituality; the hurricane destroyed nature and made the characters question themselves.The hurricane also symbolized the end of Tea Cake's (Janie's love) life. While saving Janie's life, he gets bit by a dog and gets contracted with rabies. Janie kills Tea Cake before he could hurt her.
The setting played an important role in this book. It showed them guidance which they carried with them and it made them realize the struggles in life. Janie found her identity and the guidance she was looking for throughout the book because of the setting.
CHARACTER ANALYSIS
Alyssa|Alyssa G
Cortney